Northwest/Scouting the state bowling tournament
What: IHSA Girls State Bowling Finals
Where: Cherry Bowl Lanes at Rockford
When: Friday and Saturday
Area teams competing: Buffalo Grove, Hoffman Estates, Leyden, Prospect
Area individuals competing: Tedra Tado, Jr, Elk Grove; Jodi Gawlik, Sr, Schaumburg
The skinny: The 24 qualifying teams and 30 individuals who were not part of the advancing teams compete in the first round Friday. After Round 1, the field is whittled down to the top 12 squads in total pin count, along with the top 30 individuals not in the team top 12. Those bowlers will roll again Saturday in the race for the state team and individual titles.
Local watch: You can’t blame Buffalo Grove coach Jean Tripam for thinking that a higher power is guiding the Bison. “We’ve gone through so much adversity the last two years, with things like injury, illness and deaths in the family. I think it was fitting that someone was watching over us and helping us get (to state).”
Or maybe it just a talented group of bowlers who helped BG finish second at the Vernon Hills sectional to claim a state tourney berth. Junior Mariah McVay (1,191 sectional total, fourth individually) has been strong in the postseason as she was in the regular Mid-Suburban League campaign (188.21 average). Kara Zukoski, who missed all of 2010 with a back injury, contributed a 1,024 sectional score and Shana Rarick added a 1,075. Bison senior Christina Kalaytowicz, who has battled cancer the last couple of years, has been an inspiration and recorded a huge three-game series of 535 (214 high game) at Vernon Hills to help BG advance.
Leyden won the Fenton sectional with a 5,059 pinfall, and coach Chris Aylward will be counting on such standouts as freshman Reba Hall, who won the individual sectional championship at Wood Dale Bowl with 1,257.
“We’ve got a young team, so it’s great to see them be so successful,” Aylward said. “If my team can make their spares at state, we’ve got a great chance of advancing to Saturday.”
Hoffman Estates and Prospect both travel to Rockford with legitimate shots at a state crown. The Knights were second at the Hoffman Estates sectional as Whitney Schmidt finished fourth overall (1,225) at River Rand Bowl in Des Plaines. Schmidt (196.10) and teammates Kelly Lawless (201.54), Allison Walsh (195.49) and Emily Victor (194.18) all finished in the top 10 in average in the MSL as Prospect was the runnerup.
The Hawks are led by senior Liz Saffold, who won the difficult Hoffman sectional and led her team to the crown. Saffold had the MSL’s high series this year — 748 — and was sixth (199.36) in league average. Classmate Kaily Schlosser (198.33) was seventh, and teammates Ashley Femrite and Sarah Wille (a freshman) have been outstanding in the postseason.
The team race: A new champion is sure to be crowned because defending titleist Collinsville failed to qualify. Last year’s runner-up, Rockford Jefferson, is back for another title try. Antioch (fourth in 2010), Dixon (eighth) and Cahokia (10th) will provide formidable challenges, as will sectional champions Belleville East, Oswego, Salem, Bremen, Reavis, Lake Park and Minooka.
Fenton, Morgan Park, DeKalb, Herrin, Glenbard East, Harlem, Plainfield Central, Sterling and Andrew round out the team field.
The individual race: Jodi Gawlik could be considered the favorite. The Saxons’ senior led the MSL again this year, posting a whopping 221.95 average — more than 18 pins better than her nearest competitor. Gawlik is on a mission to improve upon her second-place state finish last season. Tado should benefit from her experience at last year’s state meet.
Watch out for O’Fallon’s Natalie Goodman, who was eighth last year as a junior and tied for first at this year’s Alton sectional. Saffold, Schmidt and McVay (who rolled a 290 game in league play this year) could also be in the mix.